From Annalee Ambrose to Tanya Julia Ride
by underthesamestars
Summary: Anna was young and impressionable, but the young never stay young forever. After meeting Julia and Rose, she's changed forever, and as she grows up, she realizes how things really can be, even in the harsh world of Panem. Starting in district 6, she will move districts twice, picking up her young life and changing literally everything. M for themes


"Write faster, Anna!" she yelled as the little girl's hand scratched across the page, words appearing under the pen. Annalee's hands were already sore from the hours of writing she had to do every single day. It was absolutely exhausting. She had been drilled on handwriting since she was very little, and today was no different from the average day of waking up and having to work until her hands began to bleed. Her writing was extremely neat for a seven year old, and the language she used in each letter was so far above what she could possibly have in her capacity that she didn't even understand it. She only copied the words printed on three different pages of her own handwriting, for her parents didn't even write it themselves, only dictated it to her young ears. The letter changed sometimes, but often not until after hundreds of one copy had been written, put into envelopes, stamped and sent to the capitol after being dutifully counted by Anna's mother. She even had to steal the stamps in order to not work deep into the night. She had to finish at least twenty five before lunch and thirty before dinner every single day or she wouldn't be allowed to eat.

Except one day a year, her birthday. This year she was turning eight, and it was the day she had counted down until for months. The day she could run off and do whatever she wanted to do all day, so long as she returned before dusk. She dashed off that morning, in a pretty yellow sundress, brand new and bright as the sun. She ran and ran, feeling the air around her and the freshness of nature. Her hands ached with calmness, glad to be free of writing if only for a day. She ran until she reached a huge house, stark white against the greenery and in awe, walked up to the front door. She knocked, pushing open the door like any curious eight year old might do and was met by a pretty lady with slowly greying hair and blue eyes. The woman exclaimed a hello and asked her name. Anna grinned a toothy smile and said, "Hello, my name is Annalee Ambrose. I live in district six!" she spoke, quote the introduction of the letters she had to write.

The woman smiled warmly, saying in a quietly sage-like voice, "My name is Julia Thomas, Annalee. Are you hungry?" Anna nodded quickly and Julia gestured to a kitchen chair, which Anna hopped up into. Julia went into the fridge, pouring the young girl a glass of cool goat's milk, setting it before her before taking a plate of still-warm chocolate chip cookies off the kitchen counter and giving it to her. Anna's eyes grew large as she picked one up, taking in the delicious, sugary scent of the warm cookie. She took a tiny, tentative bite of it, and her face lit up, making Julia chuckle. "Do you like them?" Anna's head bobbed up and down very quickly as she took another bite, the same expression coming onto her face. "Try dipping it into the milk, darling," Anna did and she seemed to melt in ecstasy. The little girl devoured the cookies grinning widely, her fingers sticky with chocolate as she licked them clean.

Another woman walked into the house and smiled at Anna, asking Julia who this was. Julia smiled, saying, "This is Miss. Annalee Ambrose. She wandered over here looking half-starved so I'm afraid I gave her some of your cookies." Anna grinned toothily, saying, "Thank you for your time," and Julia gave her an odd look. The other woman smiled at her, though, and held out a thin hand, "I'm Rose, I hope you like them Annalee." Anna nodded quickly and repeated herself, saying, "Thank you for your time." The two looked at her as if she was a little odd, but didn't protest as she happily ate a few more cookies with her scabby hands. The two women walked off for a moment, whispering in a corner, giving Anna a few weird looks. Anna stood up, walking around the corner to follow the voices when they suddenly stopped. She saw the two women embracing, kissing, not obnoxiously or inappropriately, as a married man and woman would, and her eyes narrowed. She began quoting her letter, very upset by this clear expression of what she had been writing against for years.

"Expressing one's homosexuality is wrongful and unjust to those around them," she whispered softly, voice soft as smoke dancing over a pool of water. They broke apart and stepped separated like children caught doing something wrong. Julia looked at her and asked, "Where did you hear that, Anna? From your parents?" Anna shook her head no and she asked again where she had heard it from. Anna bit her lip and looked at her, quoting, "I'm writing this letter because I feel you need to know homeosexuality needs to be severely punished. Momma makes me write. Anna has to do it all day." Julia raised her eyebrows, asking, "You have to write all day? Letters?" Anna nodded quickly, and she continued, "About homosexuality being wrong?" Anna nodded again. Julia looked at Rose who shrugged, and back at Anna. "What happens if you don't write?" Anna flinched, saying, "Anna gets beatened."

Julia and Rose exchanged looks, before Julia asked, "You don't speak as well as an eight year old should... Anna, have you ever had schooling?" Anna shook her head no, "Just write write write," she said, showing them her scabby hands. Julia said quietly, "Anna, after you finish writing, could you sneak out to come here?" Anna considered for a moment and nodded. Julia smiled gladly, saying, "Do it as often as you can, we are going to teach you the right things, Anna-banana." Anna grinned and ran over to hug the woman tightly. "Thank you for your time." Julia winced at her words but hugged the girl back, "First of all, you can't say things you write, Anna-banana, they're not true, all of it is wrong except your name, okay?" Anna pondered her words before nodding her agreement.


End file.
